Top Computer Software

A computer is only as good as the software installed on it. While there are certain software programs you should avoid by all means, in this post we are going to focus on the 10 top computer software programs that will make your life easier. As there are millions of software programs you can install on your computer, it is important to be picky when it comes to software installation. With no further ado, let us get the list going:

10 Top Computer Software Everyone Should Use

1. CCleaner

CCleaner has received a lot of hate for no particular reason. I have been using CCleaner for years and never had a problem. It is a software that cleans unnecessary files from your system with a simple click of a button. Windows and application files are cleaned separately. CCleaner also cleans out left-behind registry files, without defragmenting your registry, which can cause system crashes and BSOD. Not once have I encountered a system crash by cleaning files or registry with CCleaner. You can also uninstall programs you do not want by heading over to the “Tools” section. A few other options CCleaner offers are:

Enabling/Disabling start-up programs

Configure browser plugins

Disk Analyzer

Find duplicate files

Restore your system to a previous point in time

Wipe your drive completely

CCleaner prompts you whenever files are to be cleaned, and you can set it up to your liking in the Settings tab. The “Cleaner” and “Registry” tabs allow you to choose what files you want CCleaner to clean. CCleaner’s free version is all you need but should you decide to upgrade to its premium version; you get automatic updates, so you do not have to go through the hustle of re-installing the latest version manually. To be honest, the paid version does not offer anything worth mentioning rather than automatic updates. To enable automatic updates, go to “Options”<“Updates” and click on “Apply these updates automatically,” under “Product Updates.”

CCleaner does not do anything different than what you can do in Windows 10 yourself but having all these features in one place can save you a lot of time. If you have been thinking about installing a software program to clean your PC, CCleaner is the only one you need.

A computer is only as good as the software installed on it. While there are certain software programs, you should avoid by all means, in this post we are going to focus on the 10 top computer software programs that will make your life easier. As there are millions of software programs you can install on your computer, it is important to be picky when it comes to software installation. With no further ado, let us get the list going:

2. Bitdefender Total Security 2019

Bitdefender Total Security has been redesigned for 2019 from scratch and is the best Antivirus program on the market, according to reviews. It offers premium protection and scans your system against all types of viruses and spam and can be used on 5 devices simultaneously. The integrated firewall is easy to use and block unwanted programs. Bitdefender offers a password manager that automatically saves your browser passwords so you do not have to remember and enter them every time. Safepay redirects you to the Bitdefender “browser” where you complete your transactions safely. A plethora of additional features is available such as:

File encryption

Webcam protection to block programs from accessing your webcam.

Parental control to block access to certain websites.

Data shredder completely removes files from specific set folders.

Wifi security advisor

Anti-Theft for protecting your data and programs should you lose your device.

Device Optimizer that automatically detects junk files.

Start-up optimizer allows you to disable start-up programs that cause a delay in boot times.

As you can see Bitdefender Total Security 2019 is a feature-rich Antivirus that does more than just protect your system from viruses and spam. To activate Bitdefender Total Security 2019, you have to sign up for Bitdefender Central where you get an overview of your protected devices and can set up parental control for specific websites. The Bitdefender license extends to your smartphone, too, and Bitdefender protects both Android and iOS devices effectively.

The only downside of Bitdefender is that they are constantly pushing you to install their VPN service. A VPN is an essential program everyone should use whenever accessing the web for reasons that I explain HERE, but if you do not want to use one, you should not be bombarded with constant reminders and pop-ups. This problem is most prominent on the mobile version.

Bitdefender is an Antivirus and works most effectively when combined with an Anti-malware program like Malwarebytes Premium. Using Bitdefender alone will not protect you from every possible online thread, just keep that in mind.

3. Malwarebytes Premium

Malwarebytes Premium is probably the most effective Anti-Malware program. Developed by Microsoft, Malwarebytes Premium protects against all types of malware and comes with an easy to manage UI. Malwarebytes Premium has four types of protection:

Web Protection

Exploit Protection

Malware Protection

Ransomware Protection

The most dangerous thread is ransomware. Ransomware can attach to any file, software or program and activates once it installs on your system. Once installed, hackers can see any activity you are doing on your computer. Open-source media players are incredibly vulnerable to Ransomware as indicated in this article, and you should always be cautious by what programs you install along with your software. Always use custom options and unclick any potential applications that are going to install with your original software.

With Malwarebytes Premium you can choose between three types of scans:

Threat Scan scanning all potential places where malware can be found.

Custom Scan lets you decide where to scan for malware.

Hyper Scan checks for malware in memory and start-up objects.

By default, Threat Scan is enabled and will run every time you hit “Start Scan,” which is the most elaborate scanning method. At the Quarantine tab, you can see all detected threats and either remove or restore them if it happened to be a false alarm. The Report tab reviews scan and protection logs, and in the settings, you can set up your scan schedule, and set up folders or websites you want to exclude from Malwarebyte’s detection process.

The free version of Malwarebytes scans your system for malware and potential threats but does not protect you while you are browsing or accessing files. You can detect malicious files afterward, but the damage has already been done once they enter your system.

The big and only downside of Malwarebytes Premium is that it is expensive and only protects one device on a yearly subscription model. Malwarebytes does not offer you any discount apart from a 25% discount on their 2-year subscription.

4. BS Player

BS player needs no introduction if you are a movie lover. For those of you who do not know BS Player, BS does not stand for “bullshit,” but BS Player is a media player that automatically detects subtitles and lets you download them instantly. As a media player, it does not offer anything different than other media players like VLC, but the subtitle feature comes in handy when you want to find subtitles for your favorite movie quickly. For Americans, subtitles are probably useless anyhow since most movies are in English, but for foreigners finding subtitles in their language is time-consuming and can take away the fun of watching a movie.

Check out BS Player if you do not want to search for subtitles for your favorite movies manually. The only disadvantage is that BS Player requires you to download a bunch of extra software to make it work properly. I have never encountered an issue, but it would be nice if BS Player could have the needed software already incorporated upon downloading. Due to the threat of ransomware, make sure to download BS Player only from their original website, and not from third-party websites.

Pros

Easy To Use

Download subtitles automatically

Many available languages

Cons

Not different from other media players besides downloading subtitles

Additional software has to be downloaded to function properly

Potentially affected by Ransomware if downloaded from third-party sites

5. GlassWire

GlassWire is a relatively new network monitoring software letting you monitor incoming and outgoing traffic from your network and computer. The reason GlassWire stand out is the product’s snappy and easy-to-use UI design. Check your network’s activity by the minute, block apps and programs with their integrated firewall (which I prefer to Bitdefender’s) and get pop-up alerts whenever a new program connects to your network.

GlassWire gives you the option to check how much of your network each program uses and also gives you a 6/12 month or unlimited tracking history depending on which subscription package you end up using. For a detailed analysis of what GlassWire offers, hop over to this link.

Using a monitoring software along with an Antivirus and Anti-Malware program is essential for anyone that is serious of understanding how their computer delivers and receives information regarding the network and Windows itself. GlassWire also comes with a free version, that you can use as longs as you like and has most of the features unlocked, apart from the Firewall and the ability to scan for connected IPs and hosts. The free version also does not let you keep a track history, unlike their paid versions. They also grant you a 7-day trial for any of their three packages: Basic, Pro, and Elite.

The big disadvantage of GlassWire is that it only supports Android and Windows, for now, leaving Apple with their Mac and iOS out of the equation. However, they are working on providing their software to Apple users as well.

6. Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)

If you are not a gamer, you should probably not care about this unknown but fantastic piece of software. DDU is a software developed by Wagnardsoft and lets you completely remove your current driver version, which might not sound like anything special. However, often older driver files conflict with the current driver and cause game crashes of frame drops.

DDU completely removes any trace of the previous driver even from the registry while, at the same time, disabling automatic driver updates. Windows 10 automatically installs a default driver version when it detects that no driver is currently installed, making it impossible to install any new driver without having to deal with a default driver version.

DDU disables automatic Windows driver updates by default allowing you to install the newest driver fresh. Of course, you can enable automatic driver updates if you want to. To remove your outdated driver effectively, the DDU software prompts you to go into Safe Mode first.

Here is a quick guide on how to use DDU:

1. Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA or AMD websites. You can also download the auto-detect tool to identify the most recent driver for you.

2. Go into Windows Safe Mode. To do that right-click on the Windows icon, click on “Run” and type in “msconfig.” Once in the system configuration environment, click on “Boot” and click the square next to “Safe Boot.” Once finished, click on “Apply” and “OK.” Now your system should reboot into Safe Mode.

3. Once booted, open up DDU and choose the device type you want to uninstall from the sidebar whether it is Audio or GPU. Now hit “Clean and restart” on the top-left corner. Only use “Clean and shutdown” when you are installing a new graphics card.

4. Your system will reboot normally. Install your downloaded driver and restart your system once again to ensure everything works as expected. Repeat the procedure with each driver update.

The only downside is that the software does not let you boot directly into safe mode anymore, like with earlier versions, unfortunately, which was extremely useful, in my opinion.

DDU will ensure that you get the most out of your driver. I recommend anyone who plays games frequently to use DDU. Excellent software and I have never encountered a driver issue or crash after using it. And the best of all is that it is absolutely free. If you want to help the developer, you can support him on Patreon or donate him a small sum to let him keep updating the software and also keep it free for everyone.

7. NordVPN

NordVPN is the best VPN service provider in the world. What a VPN does is hiding your real IP address by packaging your information and sending it through a server before data either reach you or submitting data to another IP address. Should an intruder want to see your IP address and follow your online traces, once he reaches the server it is game over because your online identity is concealed. Only NordVPN knows your real IP address. The encrypted information gets filtered through the server and reaches you.

NordVPN is not forced by law to keep logs of your personal information, and they claim that they do not. However, they will keep your e-mail address and payment information to be able to send you product offers and let you extend your subscription.

NordVPN has a vast number of servers in more than 96 countries, and you can choose to connect to any server of your choice. NordVPN is price-friendly with a huge 3-year discount and allows you to connect up to six devices simultaneously. A few of the features NordVPN offers are:

CyberSec, offering an extra layer of protection against malware and online threats.

Internet Kill Switch, denying you access to the internet when NordVPN is not enabled, for extra security.

Invisibility on Lan, making your computer invisible to others on a local area network.

Choose between TCP or UDP protocol to optimize the delivery of data packages. TCP is more secure by sending you many separate data packages but will slow down your internet speed. UDP sends you all the information in an entire package and therefore uses up fewer data.

Obfuscated servers, let you access the internet from restricted locations like Turkey, for example. The selection of servers is minimal but if you are living in a country with restriction policies, NordVPN will bypass them at the cost of a speedy internet connection.

For a detailed review of how a VPN operates and why NordVPN is way ahead of its competitors, check out this link.

Note that a VPN does not ensure ultimate online privacy. No VPN even NordVPN can make you completely anonymous on the internet. You still have to be careful of what you post online and what information you post on social media. Your real location is also traceable as is your browsing activity on Google. If you are interested in how to achieve absolute online anonymity, check out the video below by The Hated One:

Just realize that it takes a lot of work and sacrifices, so watch the video and decide how important your online anonymity is to you.

8. Discord

Connecting to co-players while playing games is easy and effective with Discord. If you have been frustrated with trying to hear your teammates by using the built-in features of Origin or Blizzard, Discord lets you easily create a new channel or join an existing one. The connection is always crystal-clear. Discord updates itself automatically each time you enter, and you can customize your profile the way you want.

Enter your favorite games in Discord and customize each one of them. Discord also has a list of games that you can purchase and access directly from its software. Some games are free like Warframe while others like Darksiders 3 come at the full price. Another neat feature is the ability to connect your Discord account to your social media. This feature is useful if you play games on Facebook for example. All in all, Discord is an amazing piece of software and should not be missing from anyone who likes to play games with their friends. You can download Discord for free, HERE.

Discord is available for Android, iOS, Linux, and Mac as well and was built with cross-compatibility in mind.

9. HWiNFO64

HWiNFO64 is an impressive Windows monitoring software, totally free of charge. It lets you monitor everything on your computer from CPU, GPU and hard drive temperatures to CPU clock speeds and RAM timings. HWiNFO64 is also the best tool to recognize if your power supply is working as intended by checking the +5V and +12V statistics in the motherboard information table.

Besides hard drive temperatures, HWiNFO64 also gives you the drive’s remaining life expectancy in percentage and detect read and write speeds. System fan airflow (RPM) is measurable and displayed as well. Not only that but you also get an overview of your network’s performance, including downloaded and uploaded files.

HWiNFO64 is your all-in-one tool for monitoring your entire system and is free-of-charge. HWMonitor is also an alternative if you prefer less information displayed. Both are excellent pieces of software to control your system’s specifications, but HWiNFO64 has the edge here by giving you every possible information regarding your system.

10. AOMEI Backupper

Looking for a great tool to back up your files and create a system restore? Then you might want to check out AOMEI Backupper. I have been using this tool for many years and have restored my system many times. I have never encountered an issue with AOMEI Backupper. Creating backup images is really easy. Just open up the software, click on “New Backup” and you are ready to go.

AOMEI Backupper allows you to do five kinds of backup:

System Backup

Disk Backup

Partition Backup

File Backup

File Sync

For most of you, a system backup is all you need. Click on system backup and then choose the destination folder. Optionally, you can choose to check the backed up image for integrity. You can also check the created image manually by clicking on the “Utilities” tab and choose “Check Image.” What you also want to do is create a bootable media to be able to boot it from the BIOS if you can not access your desktop.

For home users, the free version of AOMEI Backupper is adequate. The paid versions include:

The Pro Edition, designed for individuals who want to manage backups for multiple computers.

The Server Edition, designed for enterprises and businesses who are reliant on big servers and can not afford to lose any data.

The Technician Edition, designed for the IT department of big companies who provide technical services and need flexible software to help them restore big chunks of data.

Bottom Line

With the plethora of software available on the market, it is difficult to differentiate between what software will make your life easier and what software will provide you with nothing else than a headache. The programs reviewed above are the 10 top computer software that I use daily, and I can wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. I have included the paid versions of Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, and NordVPN because they are really worth spending money on. I would also advise you to check out either the Basic version of GlassWire if you want to monitor 1 PC or the Pro version if you want it to run on 3 devices simultaneously.

Besides those paid versions, all other software is free to use on any device for as long as you want.

I hope that you will find those programs useful. In case you have any questions or disagree with me and would like to recommend other software, leave a comment in the comment section below. What software do you use every day? Can you suggest any alternatives?